After a little overindulgence over the festive season, you’ve decided to take a break from drinking and join in with Dry January? Or maybe you don’t drink at all! Either way, the rise in popularity of mocktails reflects a society in search of healthier options. And to help you with your January challenge, or simply to give you some different ideas, Bruxelles Secrète has unearthed 6 delicious mocktail recipes that are a must-try!
Virgin Piña Colada
Ingredients:
- 12 cl pineapple juice
- 4 cl coconut milk
- ½ lime
- ½ teaspoon vanilla sugar
Recipe:
- Place a handful of ice cubes and all the ingredients in a blender.
- Blend for a few seconds (or use a shaker if you don’t have a blender).
- Pour the contents into a cocktail glass. If you have one, you can even decorate it with a piece of fresh pineapple. Enjoy chilled!
Alcohol-free espresso martini
Ingredients:
- Espressoor about 30 ml (1 oz)
- Icetaste
- Non-alcoholic spirits (such as gin or vodka)ml (2 oz)
- Simple syrup 15 ml (½ oz)
- Coffee beans (optional)To taste
Recipe:
- Pour espresso coffee into a mug or small bowl.
- Fill a shaker with ice cubes.
- Add the espresso, spirit and simple syrup. Close the shaker and shake vigorously for a few seconds, until cold.
- Using a small sieve, strain the cocktail directly over a martini glass.
- If desired, garnish with a few coffee beans and serve.
For the simple syrup: in a small saucepan, combine 250 ml (1 cup) sugar and 250 ml (1 cup) water. Bring to the boil over high heat and, as soon as it begins to boil, remove from the heat. Let cool and transfer to an airtight container. Simple syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Apple-ginger mocktail
Ingredients (for 1 mocktail):
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) ice cubes
- 125 ml (4 oz.) old-fashioned/crafted fresh apple juice (not from concentrate)
- 15 ml (1/2 oz) lemon juice
- 5 ml (1 tsp.) maple syrup
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp.) finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp.) cocktail emulsifier or 1/2 very fresh egg white
- 125 ml (4 oz.) ginger ale, cold
- 1 thin wedge of red apple (optional)
Recipe:
- In a shaker, vigorously mix ice cubes, apple juice, lemon juice, maple syrup, ginger and cocktail emulsifier or egg white for 15 seconds.
- Strain the mixture through a small sieve into a white wine glass. Top up with ginger ale. Garnish with a thin wedge of red apple skewered on a cocktail pick, if desired.
Virgin mojito grapefruit
Ingredients (serves 6):
- 3 pink grapefruits
- 90 g La Perruche brown sugar
- 90 cl sparkling water (with large bubbles)
- 36 cl pink grapefruit juice
- ½ bunch fresh mint
- 0.5 L crushed ice
Recipe:
- Wash the mint and remove the leaves.
- Peel the grapefruit and remove the segments.
- Arrange the mint leaves at the bottom of the glasses, then add a tablespoon of La Perruche brown sugar. Using a pestle, crush the mint without over-crushing it.
- Add the grapefruit juice and grapefruit segments. Fill the glasses with crushed ice and top up with sparkling water. Stir gently before serving.
- Chef’s tip: For extra acidity, you can also add a lime wedge.
Raspberry lemonade
Ingredients (for 1 liter):
- 750 ml (3 cups) still water
- 375 ml (1 ½ cups) frozen raspberries, thawed
- 75 ml (1/3 cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of 2-3 lemons)
- 75 to 125 ml (1/3 to 1/2 cup) honey
- 5 to 7 ml (1 to 1 ½ teaspoons) rose or orange blossom water (optional)
- Fresh raspberries, to taste
- Ice cubes
Recipe:
- Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until raspberries are pureed.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve fitted with cheesecloth.
- Pour into a large bottle or pitcher. Refrigerate until cold.
- Serve in glasses filled with ice cubes and garnish with fresh raspberries.
Juniper-fizz (faux gin-fizz)
Ingredients (for one mocktail):
- 250 ml (1 cup) sparkling water
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) juniper syrup
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) lime juice
- 1 small sprig rosemary
- 1 lime slice
- Ice cubes
Recipe:
In a tall glass filled with ice cubes, combine sparkling water, juniper syrup and lime juice. Garnish with rosemary and lime.